29 Wed UEFA Champions League A Manchester United 19:45

[AnthonyG]

Oh quit your *****ing about the opening post and the crests and what not.

Any time it's done well, any time it's done so-so, any time it's done poorly it only lasts a page.

Do it yourself or zip it! Ah, ah ... I said zip it!

The Mancs are going to tumble long and hard from that seemingly preeminent and lofty locale.

 

[graham_ka]

Oh boy, the big enchilada has finally arrived. Biggest game in years. Could be the end of an era and the start of something beautiful if Wenger can play his cards right. A little luck is what we'll need.

 

[AshburtonGhost]

Graham_ka, that avatar has me in hysterics every time I see it!!!

 

[graham_ka]

haha, cheers mate. Best bit of artwork in years for me

 

[AshburtonGhost]

Monet, Picasso and Graham_ka. Louvre, here we come!

 

[Proof]

The odds are against us, we have the less chances to win this trophy according to everyone you ask or see on TV. I want so much to defeat them and play the final and win it against Barcelona, which would mean that Arsenal beat the trophy holders and probably the best team in Europe at the moment. I hope Nasri can bury them again.

------------------ Almunia --------------------
--- Sagna ----- Toure ---- Djourou --- Gibbs -----
--- Walcott --- Fabregas --- Song -----------
---------------- Diaby ----- Nasri -------------
--------------------- Adebayor ----------------

Almost the same line-up which won this season at the Emirates.

 

[DOUBLE-YOU]

it's funny. People talk about Chelsea having to face Messi without their recognised left back. Gibbs v Ronaldo looks just as daunting.

 

[Arsenal in Aus]

Personally I'm not confidant at all. Our team will be basically made up of tired 2nd-string players plus maybe a couple of 1st-liners returning from injury. And we have no Arshavin (isn't it amazing that after such a short time not having him in the team is such a loss?!).

Of course, our being in such poor shape will make it all the sweeter when we win!

 

[alonso14]

come on the Arsenal!!!

I predict

Man Utd 2 1 Arsenal
Arsenal 2 0 Utd


yeeeessssssss

 

[dbig]

------------------ Almunia --------------------
--- Sagna ----- Touré ---- Djourou --- Gibbs -----
--- Walcott --- Fabregas --- Song -----------
---------------- Diaby ----- Nasri -------------
--------------------- Adebayor ----------------

Almost the same line-up which won this season at the Emirates.

Think it'll be something like this but shouldn't Walcott be a little further up the pitch?

Since MU doesn't go for long balls over the top much, I think flooding the midfield against them actually makes sense.

Try to grab one or two on the break and don't **** around our own penalty area.

1-2 to us.

 

[Rohit]

I don't expect Wenger to play with 2 strikers.

I fully expect a midfield of 5 with Denilson in it although if it is five in midfield i will prefer:

Walcott Song Fabregas Nasri Eduardo

 

[Clrnc]

I agree with Proof lineup as well. Thats the best we can put out, the other alternative will be to replace Diaby with Bendtner

 

[progman07]

I'm so hoping Denilson won't play. I don't wait Diaby to start either, but if he starts, and remains as lazy as he was against Chelsea, he should be sold. If a player can't be hyped up to a CL Semi, there's no hope.

 

[xcdude24]

Eduardo was poor in the midfield last season, but yeah, he'll play five.

I think he'll end up deploying

------RVP-----Song-----Denilson----Fab------Nasri-----
-------------------------Ade------------------------------

something like that. The good news is that we'll have a solid set of attackers for this one. The bad news is that we have no defense, and we'll probably end up employing the completely wrong formation.

With Rooney in form, this could get ugly. I know that sounds terrible coming from an Arsenal fan, but we're fragile right now. I'd be overjoyed with a draw. But we could just as well get slaughtered.

 

[A_Gooner_Matata]

This has all the potential to be the most painful two games (and aftermath) in recent memory...but it could also be bloody amazing.

 

[progman07]

The only question is, who will play: Diaby or Denilson?

Both Wenger's favourites, both not good enough to start in a CL semi.

One of them would disappear, while the other would always lose the ball due to stupid tricks and lack of vision. Both would be jogging carelessly while the Man Utd midfielders are attacking. Both are pushed off the ball easily, even though Diaby is supposed to be tough, he isn't. Both tactically useless.

Denilson would get the role: 'get the ball and pass it sideways, so you have good stats after the match'

Diaby would get the role: 'go out and outmuscle them you tall Maradona', which basically means he doesn't have any defensive or attacking roles, he just has to be there because he is tall.


Having them competing for a starting place against Man Utd in the CL Semi shows Wenger is losing it.

 

[James]

I don't even want to think about the sheer joy of putting these lot out, and getting to Rome. It will be far too painful if we miss this opportunity.

I'm going, and frankly, am ****tin' bricks already. However, i cannot wait.

 

[GaelForce22]

He'll probably play the five man midfield with Denilson but it looks like we all want the five with Diaby.

What is with all the negativity on here? United have been **** in the big games this season (except once when they beat a pathetic Chelsea side), we haven't, we beat them earlier on in the season without Adebayor, Van Persie, Arshavin, Song and Toure and their defence has looked much worse than ours in the last few months. Theo will get the beating of Evra, Adebayor is capable of capitalising on any Ferdinand mistakes and Nasri will make mincemeat of Rafael.

1-1 here, 3-1 at home.

 

[True Gooner]

We've got a good chance of doing them, I'd much rather play United than Chelsea or Barcelona.

Yeah, United are the better side but despite what some may say, we're no mugs either and if we play our best we can go through. Obviously **** happens but as far as I'm concerned we've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

And our record against them in recent seasons is very good.

 

[has this been taken??]

Great article in the Guardian by Amy Lawrence about our rivalry with Utd:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/26/arsenal-manchester-united-champions-league" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... ons-league</a>

For some reason, I'm feeling incredibly confident about the tie. I'm absolutely convinced that we will go through. Utd have been poor in recent weeks and as long as we're tight at the back, we have more than enough attacking prowess to win the tie.